Radiation, Convection, and Evaporation are all our friends and work together perfectly to keep us cool. Conduction, not so much in cycling. Unless you hold that frozen water bottle to your neck for a quick relief.

However, if the temperature outside is hotter than our bodies, radiation cannot work. The heat goes in the other direction into our bodies.

And if the air is very humid, evaporation cannot work.

Luckily, convection is always at play when we’re moving at 20mph, and it still feels good.
But when you stop, boy can you feel it.

The downside of the efficient cooling effect that we get from cycling is that we can feel more comfortable than we should. And dehydration is a big risk.

Hydration

Many cyclists say, “Drink before you’re thirsty”, which is great advice especially in hot weather. This is not the time to pack light with only one water bottle. And make it a point to take a sip every 15 minutes, or 5 miles, to replenish what you’re losing.

Planning

When it’s super hot and humid, plan to take it easy on yourself. Maybe do a recovery pace. Or map out a route that doesn’t have your normal hills. (thought he downhills are always good for cooling off).

Or if you’re on a longer ride, be sure to loop in a place to refill the water bottles.

What to drink?

When it’s hot and humid, the most important thing is water. You can go with your electrolytes and sugary drinks, but I always like to mix it up with both a sports drink and some plain water to wash it down.

What to wear?

Nothing would be best. But if that doesn’t seem appropriate (there are lots of naked bike rides you can join), wear something that the wind can get through, and this is a great time to choose the shirt with the full zipper front.

Most importantly, take it easy, and listen extra carefully to what your body is telling you.

I don’t ride at night often, but when I do, my lights are always dead. Or I don’t have them with me.
But if integrated with my helmet, I think I’d remember to keep it charged, and I’d certainly not be without that.

What a great concept, automatic brake lights, always on blinking rear and front lights, turn signals… yeah how about keeping your hands on the bars while signaling a turn in traffic? nice.

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. Unfortunately, it’s a year away. I have no doubt this one will get funded.

The ultimate bicycle helmet with brake lights and turn signals to help cyclists stay safe and visible on the road.

]]>http://bikenoob.com/2015/07/14/lumos-bicycle-helmet/feed/2We Have Met The Enemy and He is Ushttp://bikenoob.com/2015/07/03/where-does-the-road-rage-come-from/
http://bikenoob.com/2015/07/03/where-does-the-road-rage-come-from/#commentsFri, 03 Jul 2015 14:53:00 +0000http://bikenoob.com/?p=7607

Road rage is a serious problem for cyclists. If you’ve ridden any amount of time, you’ve certainly experienced the extra loud horn, the close pass, the over-revved engine, shouts, and the hand gestures.

And at the same time you’ve probably thought, “What the F***?!? I wasn’t doing anything. Jerk.”

Where does the road rage come from?

Well, I saw them today. From the perspective of a driver. The reason for all the road rage.

I was driving through my small town today, which is itself a small slice of cycling heaven. Lots of cyclists start here or ride through here. I often get groups of 30 riders coming past my house on big club rides, and there are endless solo or pairs coming through all the time.

The roads are narrow, there are few painted lines even, blind corners and hills, and there are no sidewalks. Just road and soft shoulders. It’s a place where drivers and cyclists truly need to co-exist.

There’s one particular fun hill to climb and descend. It’s about a half mile up and another half down. The downs end at stop signs.

I was driving my kids to camp this morning heading up this hill as I approached a line of three cars stuck behind a group of four cyclists, and I quickly caught up. The car in front couldn’t pass because the group was pretty well oblivious to the fact that there were cars lining up behind them. They were attacking the hill, standing, riding hard, bikes jerking back and forth as happens in a sprint, passing each other erratically as in a race. It was pretty well impossible to pass safely, or at least comfortably, in a car even though they were going well under the speed limit up this hill.

They reached the top of the hill, still without allowing anyone to pass, and bombed down the descent, pulling ahead of the cars. (No problem with that part.)

Until they reached the bottom, where they took a left turn at a 4-way stop at full speed. In full view of at least 4 motorists who are already watching closely and shaking their heads at these guys.

Inconsiderate and reckless. And damaging to the entire cycling community.

Now these guys are serious cyclists. They know what they’re doing. They all wore the kit from a local racing club.

They are too serious, apparently, to care.

I’m no stickler for traffic rules on the bike. I’ll run stop signs, but certainly not without slowing down, and only if I can see that there’s no cars around, or at least if there are, if I have eye contact of a driver who is letting me go through. And I’ll wave thanks.

And if I’m at all in view of motorists, I’m much more careful about how I behave. Because I know that they’re watching and judging.

Does this make me any better than these guys? I don’t know.

How we behave affects all of us.

Update

So in the comments, I got called names by another cycling blogger about this post.

Here’s the intersection. The guys came through here at at least 20mph and took that blind left at speed.

It’s a 4-way stop sign. So it’s pretty safe to assume that all cars will stop. But that’s not really the point. There’s also the law that cyclists should stop just like cars. That’s also not really the point. I roll through stop signs all the time.

As you improve in your cycling, at some point, you may want to test your skills against others. And rather than jump right into a race, you can join a group of other riders. If you don’t have 6 friends ready to take off for 4 hours on a Saturday morning, there’s usually a local bike club as an option.

Bike clubs come in different shapes and sizes. Some are hard-core and others are more friendly to noobs like us. They usually have websites that contain descriptions of their rides and the skills needed to join them. Many clubs have different levels based on the average speed you can maintain, like 16-18, 18-20, and 20+ mph. Keep in mind that you can typically ride a few MPH faster in a group than you can alone, which is also why group riding is fun.

The craziest group ride I’ve been on is a local one called the Bullet Train in the club called “Monsters in the Basement”, a friendly club here in nearby Concord, MA. We achieved a crazy 25mph average over 30 miles. I’m lucky to average 20 solo, on my best day.

Don’t be afraid to show up and give it a try.

What’s it Like?

Here’s what an actual group ride looks like. I happened to be on this ride. I’m in the blue helmet and black and yellow kit. Coincidentally, that’s me on the video image, and you can see me at about 30 minutes in after taking a corner.

Not that you should watch the entire hour-plus of this ride, but there are some interesting things to see in it. We start out in the dark, at 5:30 am. You can see the dynamics of a fast group ride with lots of uphills and downhills.

This particular ride is FAST. It’s a “drop-ride”, which basically means that it’s cooperative, but if you fall off the back, they’re not waiting for you at the top of the hill. It certainly adds some urgency to the ride and keeps you pushing hard or you’re on your own.

Most club rides are “no-drop”, which means the group will stop at important points to let people catch up. So if this looks scary, this isn’t necessarily typical. It’s about as hard as they are likely to get.

Also, this is historic Concord, MA of Revolutionary War fame, which may be interesting to those of you from around the world.

It was taken with a Garmin Virb Elite, which not only takes video, but it connects to other ANT+ devices and/or your Garmin 500 or 800 cycling computers to sync up all of your ride stats and get those cool dashboard graphics.

This Looks Dangerous!

Well, cycling is dangerous. And riding in a group has its own risks. There are definitely more crashes in a group. When a rider in a paceline hits the wheel of the rider in front of him, he’s probably going to go down.

I’ve crashed once at speed and walked away with just some bruises. Others aren’t so lucky with broken collar bones and dislocated shoulders, or worse. Most crashes that I see or hear about end in only scrapes and bruises, which is good news because if you ride a lot, especially in groups, chances are you’re going to go down at some point.

On the other hand, group riding can be safer as you’re easier for motorists to see.

What Club Should You Join?

There are clubs everywhere, and they are becoming more and more popular every year. You should be able to find one near you. Ask around and keep your ears open for people talking about it. Look at the kits other cyclists are wearing as clubs usually have branded kits for their members to buy.

Also, here’s a great post by someone in my local club, who also has a cycling blog, about cycling clubs…

The more experienced you get cycling, you will hopefully get the opportunity to go on some longer organized rides. They might be for charity like the Pan Mass Challenge, a local cycling club, or even just a group of friends. And as you do, one of the things you’ll start to hear is comments like, “is there SAG for this ride?” or “We’re doing a double century. my wife will SAG for us”.

Typically “sag” is not something you want. For example when it comes to pants, roofs, and br…uh…bridges.

But in this context, SAG is a good thing. It stands for Support And Gear. It’s that car that drives around full of tools, food, first aid, and even replacement bikes on the more serious rides.

I’ve done lots of rides where the yellow Mavic SAG cars are driving around looking for mechanicals and flats. These guys are life savers. or at least ride-savers.

Supported rides are expensive, and I’ve backed off from doing the organized rides in favor of being out with a handful of friends, and relying on our own ability to resolve any problem that comes up. Flats are nothing. Sidewall tears can be fixed with a ‘boot’. We’ve dealt with broken chains, spokes, blown cassettes, even broken seats repaired with cobbled together, non-critical parts of each others’ bikes.

These are all good things to know how to take care of without support.

What’s the strangest mechanical issue that you’ve had and were able to fix yourself?

Less grime = less friction
Less friction = more faster
Less friction = less wear and tear

And don’t you want your bike to look good?

Know your Enemy: Where does the grime come from?

Well obviously, if you ride in the rain (or snow, you badasses) you’re getting mud, sand, and salt (in the Wintery places) all over your bike. That’s no good.

Even in dry weather, dust and pollen accumulates everywhere, into every nook and cranny. This dust acts like sandpaper.

Additionally, what you may not realize is that sweat drips onto your frame and drips down into places where the salt will eventually do damage. Don’t look at me like that. It adds up over thousands of miles. Seriously. And if you ride on trainer or rollers, it’s a million times worse. You can actually get a guard or “thong” for your bike to protect it from the sweat shower on the trainer, like the Blackburn Sweat Net.

Your entire bike should be kept clean, if nothing else to show that you take things seriously. But the majority of your cleaning efforts will be focused on your drive train.

Many people hose their bike down after every ride — it’s ok. Your bike can get wet. Or wipe it down with baby wipes. Not a bad idea. Even if you aren’t riding in sloppy, wet weather, dust and pollen accumulate on every surface and in every nook and cranny.

Depending on how often you ride, and how dirty it gets, you should give your bike a thorough cleaning fairly often. The most important part is the drivetrain. Greasy, sandy, grime accumulates there causing wear and tear on your chain and cranks. If you can hear your chain rubbing against the cranks, and a gritty sound when you turn the handlebars, you’ve waited way too long friend. You’ll be replacing parts sooner than you need to.

Before: Dirty, dirty, bike

Cleaning Products

There are lots of cleaning products out there to help you with this. You can get chain cleaning devices that clamp onto the chain, fill with cleaning fluid, and spinning brushes give it a good cleaning. You can also buy special purpose brushes and floss to get into the hard to reach places. I’ll provide a list of these at the bottom.

But when it comes down to it, all you really need is a thick cloth, or a paint brush (big and floppy to get lots of soap into deep places) a small brush (like an old toothbrush), and a thin plastic or wooden stick (like a barbeque skewer) to get into the tight spots, especially if it’s been a while and things are really gummed up.

And you need some sort of degreasing cleaning fluid. There are lots of special purpose cycling cleaning products, and feel free to try them out. But you’re probably spending too much money.

Many people swear by Simple Green. I’ve been using LA’s Totally Awesome All Purpose Cleaner. Both are inexpensive, and handy to have around for all sorts of cleaning projects.

How to Clean Your Bike

First of all, this whole process is much easier if you have a bike holder. Some might consider this a luxury, but this is just a great thing to have for lots of reasons. Definitely consider investing in one.

Start with the dirty bits first. Get the cloth or paint brush sopped up with a water/degreaser mix and watch the chain and cranks. You should be able to get it all clean to the touch. This part is going to get everything else dirty.

Some people remove their chain and soak it. This is probably unnecessary, at least for us amateurs. You can give it a good cleaning by leaving everything on the bike.

From a wear and tear standpoint, be sure to get all the dirt out of the cogs, especially the small ones on the rear deraileur. You’ll be amazed at how gummed up they get. Spend some quality time in there with the stick and brush.

Use the stick, or even thick string or twine like dental floss, to get in between the gears on the back cassette if there’s some thick gunk in there. The goal is to get all of the black stuff out of there. Make it shine.

Next, just like washing a car, soap up the rest of the bike and clean it off. You’ll find greasy grit everywhere. Get it wet and it’ll wash out of the important places where it will cause problems.

Dry it off with a towel, or air compressor if you have one.

That’s it. Nothing terribly scientific about it. If you’re like me, you’ll find it very satisfying.

Clean.

Lube the Chain

The last step is to apply lubricant to the chain. This is a religious topic for many, and probably the topic for a separate post, but you basically have a choice between wet and dry lube, meaning what’s the environment you’re riding in. To me, we always have the chance of riding in wet, so I go with wet. I use Boeshield T-9. It’s waterproof and it cleans. I find the drip bottle to be more effective than the spray so it doesn’t get all over the rest of the bike when applying it. Read the instructions on the lube bottle. You may be surprised to see instructions for letting it dry for a few hours.

You don’t have to apply this every time, especially if you didn’t need to scrub a really dirty chain. One application of waterproof lube will last for hundreds of miles.

Watch Out for Sharp Parts

You may not realize that over thousands of miles, your cranks are getting sharpened by the chain to a razor sharp edge as they wear out. Be careful of this as you’re digging in there to get the greasy grim out. Or you might get bit.

Those are sharp!

If you’re going to be a cyclist, get used to the sight of blood.

Watch a pro do it.

Keep in mind, this bike was probably cleaned the day before, so he doesn’t need to dig as deep as you do to get out the grime that’s been accumulating for two months.

Not that long ago, fueling a longer ride seemed to be all about things like gummy chews, sticky goos, and sickly sweet drinks colored by chemical dyes that, after an extended ride, could actually end up upsetting your stomach. Sure, some of us went the banana/fig newton/water route, but let’s face it — a lot of us downed stuff with colors, tastes, and “energy” provided by a long list of artificial ingredients.

But just like fast-food restaurants have suddenly started to pare down their ingredient lists to simpler, real-food choices, athletic foods and drinks have begun to blaze their own natural path.

Probably the biggest proponents of natural foods in recent years have been Dr. Allen Lim and chef Biju Thomas of Skratch Labs. Lim had extensive history working with high-profile pro teams, and famously switched riders over to a homemade drink mix that avoided chemicals and artificial flavors and colors in favor of minimal, natural ingredients. Example? Guzzle some Skratch and that raspberry or orange you taste is the result of freeze-dried fruit powder, not some sketchy flavoring. (Want sketchy? Google “castoreum.”) When it came to food, the pair elected not to produce a packaged product, but instead write a cookbook, teaching riders how to make goodies like homemade sushi rice cakes. I’ve tried several recipes, as has contributor Don Blount (http://bikenoob.com/2012/07/19/sushi-rice-cakes). They’re pretty easy to make, and allow you to include things like eggs, bacon, soy sauce or liquid aminos to satisfy salty cravings, or go a sweet route with berries and chocolate chips. When Skratch ultimately did come out with their first packaged food product this year it was actually a cookie mix. Add an egg and a stick of butter, toss in chocolate chips or your favorite fruit, and you could actually power your ride not with a gel or goo, but with cookies. Turns out with the right ingredients they’re not all that different from energy bars, and with fewer ingredients, easier to digest.

Even pure maple syrup has become a contender. Pro cyclist Ted King touts its combination of electrolytes, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins — and yes, carbs — as the perfect natural energy source in his gel alternative, Untapped Maple.

The food giants haven’t been immune to the trend. Clif recently released an “organic energy food” made from natural ingredients. Flavors include savory/salty mixes like Pizza Margherita and Sweet Potato with Sea Salt, or sweet choices like Banana Beet with Ginger and Banana Mango with Coconut. The consistency is kind of like baby food or apple sauce. But many people will note that, like Lim’s savory rice cakes, the salty choices actually hit the spot quite well on a long ride. And who isn’t occasionally interested in something sweet?

One reason to go the organic route, whether homemade or packaged, is that the results typically have a much higher moisture content. Your body will more quickly absorb energy, as water won’t be robbed from your body for digestion. By their very nature, real-food products are also easier to digest.

An interesting note? As companies like Clif have embraced organic offerings, Skratch just recently released its first pre-packaged product — a gummy fruit drop that takes aim at products like Clif’s Shot Bloks or Honey Stinger’s Energy Chews. Skratch avoids the carnauba wax that companies like Clif use in their gummy blocks, and the flavor, like the drink, is provided by actual fruit. Still, it’s a notable departure.

How about you, are you still guzzling Gatorade and eating Crayola-color gummies, or do you fuel yourself with “real” drink and food choices? Have some experiences, or even recipes to share? Give us your thoughts in the comments below.

For anyone who’s had a crazing for savory/salty food during an epic day in the saddle, Clif Organic Energy Food has just the vittles you desire.

]]>http://bikenoob.com/2015/06/10/energy-food-and-drinks-get-real/feed/1120 Over 20: How to Get Fit Cycling Without Even Tryinghttp://bikenoob.com/2015/06/09/20-over-20/
http://bikenoob.com/2015/06/09/20-over-20/#respondTue, 09 Jun 2015 16:33:00 +0000http://bikenoob.com/?p=7553

I not only a bike noob. I’m a bike geek.

Part of what appeals to me so much about this sport is the technology and opportunities to measure and test and repeat. Bike computers and Strava have been the best things that ever happened to my physical fitness. Because every time I go out for a ride, I have incentive to push a little harder a little longer.

To keep myself pushing both up and down hills with no coasting, I watch my average speed. I’ve got my own goals and bars that I set for myself. Depending on the route I’m taking, I know that I should be able to average 18.5 or 19.0 or more.

A bar that’s pretty high for me is to average over 20 mph over 20 miles. I’ve done it lots of times in a group, but it’s tough to do solo, especially with some hills in the mix.

Sometimes everything comes together — a day of rest, some tailwinds, a well placed cyclist to chase down and get the competitive juices flowing — And today I was 11 miles in, at the point where the loop turns back toward home and I was averaging 20.5. I knew I had some good uphills to get back home plus headwinds, but at that point I committed myself to keep it above 20.

It was a struggle, especially with a few stop signs and traffic, but I pulled it off. And the workout I got was like when I’m chasing down the crazy-good cyclists in the local club A group rides.

I pushed harder, got a better workout, just by playing head games with myself. That extra effort to simply keep the average up over an arbitrary number turned a good workout into an amazing one. And I get all the bonus accomplishment feels to go with it.

None of this would be possible without a good bike computer to keep tabs on the numbers. I have a Garmin Edge 510 paired up with a heart rate monitor and cadence/speed sensor. There are lots of alternatives. Even your smart phone running Strava will do the job. Though you need a handlebar mount for your phone to be able to watch the numbers.

And if you don’t use Strava, give it a try. If you’re worried about how you look to your friends and others, don’t. You don’t have to compete with anybody but yourself. Your goals are your goals. You don’t have to compare. Just be honest with yourself.

There is, however, something to be said about the accountability and support you get interacting with a community like Strava. Getting comments and kudos (likes) go a long way.

If you’re going for fitness this is how to do it. You have to push. No coasting. And lay off the “granny gears”. With all due respect to actual grannies.

And we’re all prepared for a flat with a spare tube, patch kit, CO2 cartridges or pump. Right?

But have you ever seen a tire split or get cut enough so that it doesn’t hold the tube? At 100 psi, a tire will push its way out of even a small cut in the tire and will burst. And if you’ve already used your spare tube (because your tire is cut and you just had a blowout) you’ll quickly blow the second one while inflating it.

I know. Because I’ve done it.

Here’s an important tip: when you get a flat, try your best to determine the cause. If you can, find the hole in the tube, and match it up with the tire. At least inspect the tire very well for something sharp (glass, wire, metal) poking through the tire. Slide your hand through the entire inside of the tire to feel for something sharp. Something caused the flat, and if you can’t figure it out, be very suspicious.

Types of Flats

There are many different types of flats:

Puncture: glass shard or metal wire

Pinch-flat: hitting a pot hole or rock. Sometimes called a snake-bite because the tube has two holes close together.

Tire damage: split tire or cut sidewall

Blowout from heat: Too much braking on a carbon rim can melt your tube or even the tire. (Or worse, warp your rim – ouch!)

Damaged valve: most likely caused when inflating, not riding.

Tire damage is the worst kind to get because we usually don’t carry spare tires around with us as they’re pretty bulky. Though you can get a folding tire into your pocket for longer rides.

How to temporarily patch up a cut or split tire

If you do get a split in your tire, there’s an easy fix that should get you home. Just take a dollar bill, fold it up, and insert it into the tire to cover up the cut. Get it in place between the tube and the tire and inflate.

If you don’t have a bill, a Gu wrapper, or some piece of strong flexible plastic will do the trick.

I always carry a dollar bill around in my saddle bag for this purpose.

This technique is called a “boot”. It is obviously not a permanent fix, but it’ll more than get you home or even to the end of your century ride.

Here’s a cut sidewall. You can see it between the two s’s in “Pressure”. And here’s the bill in place. (This is after we got home, we’re taking it apart at this point.)

Fold up the bill so that it fits into the full width of the tire. The tube will hold it in place.

Here’s the cut sidewall, fully inflated, kept intact with the five dollar bill.

Many things can go wrong with a bike when you’re out on the road, and most of them can be handled with just a little preparation, ingenuity, and out-of-the-box thinking.

Because there’s nothing like a two-hour round trip for your spouse to sour him or her to your favorite pastime.

Well there’s week one in the books as the new maintainer of the Bike Noob blog. We’ve updated the blog, given the Facebook page a facelift, and starting getting more active there. Ray did an amazing job here building this, and I hope to keep it going at least as well as he did.

Don and Jeff have both expressed interest in sticking around as guest bloggers, which is wonderful.

There is a pretty active group of readers here, and while I don’t expect to immediately become your bestie, I do hope you’ll continue to participate and I’ll get to know you better.

Here’s a bit about me.

Hello. My name is Scott. And I’m a cyclist.

I’m kind of obsessed with it, and I’ve discovered that of all the things to be obsessed with, a form of exercise is a pretty great one. I mentioned in another post that cycling has changed my life, and it has. First, it’s made me a happier person. I do believe that there is a “cyclist’s high“. And, I’ve gotten a heck of a lot healthier. I’m in the best shape of my life, though the New England winters do have a way of putting the pounds back on. They do come off quite quickly on the bike.

I ride both road and mountain, though pretty much all road unless my friends drag me into the woods. I don’t like mountain biking nearly as much.

I live in Massachusetts, about 20 miles west of Boston. Which pretty much means I say I’m from Boston. But I live in a pretty rural area with quiet windy roads. Cyclists drive from all over to start rides here, so I’m pretty lucky. I’m also on the eastern edge of where the hills start getting big around here. So if I ride west, it’s hilly. East, flat.

I love hills. Up and down. I also like going on long rides, metric century rides, century rides, and longer. Particularly when they include one or more mountains to climb. I’m lucky to have Mt. Wachusett climb as the turnaround point for a metric century ride.

Halfway up Mt. Wachusett

I started cycling about 4 years ago after watching some friends enjoy it for a few years. So I dusted off my old steel Schwinn Traveler from college, which I never rode, and gave it a go. This time I fell hard. In love. Not to the pavement. Well I did that too first time on clipless pedals. I put new wheels on it, way better than it deserved and told myself that if I rode for the entire year I’d call myself a cyclist and buy a new bike.

I rode 3,000 miles on that bike.

That winter, I bought a new bike, all in pieces, and built it myself. Everybody needs a winter project, right?

In my fourth season now, I’m about to pass 10,000 miles. I’ve learned a lot, and still have a lot to learn. I hope to share the former and do more of the latter here, and have some fun while doing it.